Ecological Analysis of Dipterocarpaceae of North Andaman Forest, India
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PRASAD P. RAMA CHANDRA J. Plant Develop. 18(2011): 135-149 ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DIPTEROCARPACEAE OF NORTH ANDAMAN FOREST, INDIA 1 PRASAD P. RAMA CHANDRA Abstract: Dipterocarpaceae is one of the important timber families of Andaman Islands whose members were largely exploited for their timber in the past. The current study discusses in detail about the family Dipterocarpaceae of North Andaman forest with reference to its species composition, population structure and other ecological entities. Data was analyzed using various ecological and statistical methods. Dipterocarps were encountered in 97 plots, occupying 80% of the sampled area with 68 stems ha-1 and basal area of 8.2 m2 ha-1. Dipterocarpaceae ranked 3rd with reference to stem density (11%) and 1st with respect to basal area (18%). The family showed five species viz., Dipterocarpus alatus, D. costatus, D. gracilis, D. grandiflorus and Hopea odorata compounded from two genera – Dipterocarpus and Hopea. Keeping in view of the species demographic structure as well as regeneration status, conservative measures are suggested along with certain research questions which need immediate attention in the fragile insular ecosystems of Andaman Islands. Key words: Andaman, dipterocarps, dispersion, endemic, regeneration, South East Asia Introduction Dipterocarpaceae is one of the main timber families in the forests of Southeast Asia that forms a high proportion of the emergent and main canopy strata of the forest [MANOKARAN, 1996]. The members of this family, besides playing a vital role as potential timber species that form an important means of economy in the timber market [APPANAH, 1998; POORE, 1989] also act as source of other non-timber products for the livelihood of the forest dwellers [PANAYOTOU & ASHTON, 1992]. The species of Dipterocarps often locally referred as Gurjan, are extensively utilized for the extraction of resins. From the oleoresins of Dipterocarpus alatus and Dipterocarpus grandiflorus, Gurjan oil is produced which is used as medicine to treat various skin ailments and ulcers. The resins also have industrial application as varnish and anti-corrosive coatings. The hard solid resin, commonly called as rock dammar, derived from Hopea species is used for making boats and handicrafts [SHIVA & JANTAN, 1998]. With reference to South Asia the family is distributed in India, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (A&N), Nepal, Bangladesh and Srilanka [ASHTON, 1982]. A detailed review on systematic distribution and taxonomical classification of Dipterocarpaceae globally was elucidated by MAURY-LECHON & CURTET (1998) and for Indian sub- continent by KUNDU (2008). The family Dipterocarpaceae derived its name from one of its important genera Dipterocarpus and has 17 genera with more than 500 species [MAURY-LECHON & CURTET, 1998] out of which, 10 genera and 99 species are exclusively found in South Asia (FAO 1985). Within the Indian forest scenario, the family is diversified by 31 species with 16 endemic (14 to peninsular India, one in North East and one in Andaman Islands) from 5 genera [TEWARY & SARKAR, 1987]. 1 Lab for spatial Informatics, International Institute of Information Technology, Gachibowli, 500032, Hyderabad – India, e-mail: [email protected] 135 ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DIPTEROCARPACEAE OF NORTH ANDAMAN FOREST, INDIA In the past and current scenario, forests are exploited beyond their limit, ultimately threatening the survival of the species. A successful management of recycling process provides continuous supply of goods and is true even with the plant resources. If the species are utilized proportionately without disturbing their ecological conditions and are allowed for regular natural regeneration process, they may sustain themselves to provide the un- intermittent supply of products. But due to lack of this awareness and illicit anthropogenic activities many species are facing risk of extinction. The same is the case with Dipterocarpaceae members of A&N which fall under one of the five phytogeographical regions that show wide distribution of the family [APPANAH, 1998]. The forests of A&N were virgin until the establishment of the penal colonies around 1857 and then exploitation for timber, predominantly of Padauk (Pterocarpus) and Gurjan (Dipterocarpus). Forests were logged for timber by adopting either clear felling system or selective felling system by the forest department depending on the necessity and suitability of the scheme [DEVRAJ, 2001]. Forests areas which were extracted have been regenerated naturally or artificially by proposing various forest working plans such as conversion working circle, protection working circle, minor forest produce circle etc., for sustainable management [BASU, 1990; DEVRAJ, 2001]. Apart from the logging actions of forest department, the forests of A&N were also exploited to major extent by the encroachment activities of Island settlers. The study of PRASAD & al. (2010) detailed various anthropogenic and natural driving factors that have affected the forest of North Andaman, threatening phytodiversity. The factors discussed are more or less similar in the other adjacent Islands of archipelago with profound contribution in the deterioration of forest ecosystem. Keeping in view of the importance of Dipterocarpaceae of A&N and the logging activities these Islands faced till recent past it is of prime importance to have a database with reference to their species composition and demographic structure. This is essential for setting up priorities for conservation of the species based upon their population structure and endemicity. However such kind of information for these Islands is scanty and limited. In this context, adding to the already existing database, the current study attempts to describe the ecological attributes and spatial distribution of the family Dipterocarpaceae of A&N archipelago. Forests of A&N have mixed assemblage of species composition, showing similarities with the flora of mainland India, Malayasia and Indonesia [SINGH & al. 2002]. Several floristic [BHARGAVA, 1958; THOTHATHRI, 1961, 1962; BALAKRISHNAN & NAIR, 1977; DAGAR, 1989; REDDY & al. 2008; REDDY & PRASAD, 2008] and few ecological studies [PADALIA & al. 2004; TRIPATHI & al. 2004; PRASAD & al. 2007a, 2009a; RASINGAM & PARTHASARATHY, 2009; RAJKUMAR & PARTHASARATHY, 2008] were carried out to detail the structure, biological richness and diversity patterns of forest of Andaman Islands. However the family level species studies are new to these Islands and so far such kind of study was carried out by PRASAD & al. (2008) on Euphorbiaceae of North Andaman. Though Euphorbiaceae is one among the important species rich families, usually the forest of Southeast Asia are referred as Dipterocarpus forest, because of their distinct distribution in most of the Southeast Asian forests [APPANAH, 1998]. The spatial pattern of Dipterocarpaceae within A&N is unique and the family is represented only in Andaman Islands and absent in Nicobar [MATHEW & al. 2009]. 136 PRASAD P. RAMA CHANDRA Objective of the study In general, majority of the field inventories focus on deriving the species richness and diversity at regional or at forest community levels. However, this type of studies usually specifies the phytodiversity patterns across the study area. A detail understanding about the species richness, spatial distribution and population structure of a plant family will help in the generation of quantitative database about the demography of the species within the family, their current status and threat they face if proper conservative steps are not initiated. It also helps in assessing the loss of ecological services rendered by the species for forest ecological dynamics and livelihood of the people, once the species enter into the phase of extinction. Towards this direction, the current study discusses in detail about the family Dipterocarpaceae of North Andaman forest of A&N archipelago with reference to its species composition, population structure and other ecological entities along with its occurrence, dominance and existence (?) in other adjacent Islands. The study provides an essential database of Dipterocarpaceae species towards their conservation efforts and supports further research for the future investigators to work on lesser known Dipterocarpaceae of Andaman forests. Study area The present study was carried out in the North Andaman (NA) forest of A&N (Fig. 1) which is one among the 14 identified Biosphere Reserves of India [DEVRAJ, 2001]. NA constitutes one of the important major Islands of A&N and lies between 12°95” N and 92°86” E covering an area of 1458 km2. All the Islands of NA were declared either as protected areas or as wild life sanctuaries towards conservation measures [HANDBOOK, 1983]. Topography is undulating having hills and narrow valleys with highest elevation of 732 m above mean sea level represented by Saddle Peak, which is the top point in the entire A&N. Typical tropical rain forest climate exists in these Islands due to continuous showers from both south-west and north-east monsoons and with least temperature variations. The soils belong to Serpentine series with top soil having high base status and less nutrient values supporting dense evergreen forests of Dipterocarpus and its associates [DEVRAJ, 2001]. Fig. 1. Location map of the study area 137 ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DIPTEROCARPACEAE OF NORTH ANDAMAN FOREST, INDIA Though the topographic variations are minor with poor soil conditions these Islands seize an extraordinary vivid biodiversity